Time
by yesyov
Summary: Edward left Bella in New Moon...and he didn't return...for a very long time...almost until he had no time left to stay away.
1. Chapter One

SM owns Twilight and all its characters.

No infringement of copyright is intended with the posting of this fic.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 1<strong>

His hands were old. Deep creases and lines criss-crossed their surface; spots of varying shades of brown and tan speckled his skin. Raised veins, noticeably darker and lumpier, snaked under thinned tissue that had gradually withered over time.

He smiled.

He wished.

He opened his eyes and was confronted by the stubborn truth of his reality.

His hands were like porcelain—smooth and ever youthful.

His fists clenched with anger, a constant companion among many other emotions that still burned bright.

He'd been a stupid, selfish fool.

Long ago, he'd done what he'd believed had been right, but time had only proved, yet again, just how much his omnipresent thoughts and supposedly beyond-exceptional intellect had failed him.

He looked through the window and into the room that housed the woman for whom he had sacrificed everything, and he laughed at the bitter-tasting irony of it all.

Seventy-two years before, he had made the best, and arguably, the worst, decision of his life. He'd left her so that she could have a normal life—a life filled with everything he could not ever provide her—and only now, in her dying moments, did he understand the futility of that decision.

It wasn't because she'd finally managed to love another—after a time. It wasn't that she'd had four children who now had children of their own. It wasn't that she'd lived a fulfilled life full of love and memories and integrity.

No. The futility of his decision was that his love, his singer, his forever, was once again rippled with emotional and physical pain, and he held himself accountable for it.

If he'd decided differently so many years before, she wouldn't be experiencing an agonizingly slow death now. She wouldn't be experiencing the pain of knowing that the end was coming and that she had no affect over its outcome. She wouldn't know the pain of being unable to say "goodbye," aloud, to those she loved and who loved her.

If only he'd given her what she'd begged him for so many years before. If only he'd listened to his heart and not his know-it-all mind, he might have spared her this prolonged misery.

What would have once been three or so days of agony, seemed inconsequential compared to now and the two months she had lain in this semi-conscious state, relying upon the hands of strangers who nursed her and took care of her most basic of bodily needs.

Try as he might, Edward was unable to turn his eyes away from his one and only lover. He smiled once again at the absurdity of their situation; they had never consummated their relationship, so the term "lover" wasn't something that could strictly be applied to her. However, truth be told, she was more than just his imaginary lover—she was his air, his reason for existence, his one-and-only. Their youthful follies with the body, their physical demonstrations of their feelings, had never progressed farther than touching and stroking and kissing. All because Edward had been more concerned about the ramifications for his Bella than of any indiscretion on his part.

Ramifications. That word.

He'd never considered pregnancy. In his mind, far worse things could have happened to his beloved than an unplanned pregnancy, and it was for those reasons that he'd left her alone in the forest, her cries for him going unanswered, her pleas for him to come back to her unrealized.

He'd been a bastard and walked away.

He'd left her.

On her own.

But he hadn't gone far.

He hadn't been able to.

He'd stayed and watched.

Watched as she'd run to find him.

Listened as she'd called out for him.

In doing so, he had discovered new depths of self-hate as she'd cried herself into broken pieces that had lain upon the forest floor in the dark of night.

He'd climbed silently from tree to tree, agitated in the extreme, his self-contempt reaching new all-time lows as he'd watched her shatter on the ground below him.

He'd berated himself for his cowardice.

But he'd never alerted her to his continued presence.

He'd thought that maybe, in the still of night, she'd sense him there watching over her.

He'd believed that maybe she'd realize that he would have never truly left her unprotected.

He'd hoped that she would understand that his intense love for her would never allow him to abandon her completely.

He'd almost wavered in his conviction.

He'd later realized it had only been his apparent indecision at the time that had stopped Alice and the others in his family from intervening. They'd had been relying on his underlying goodness and his overwhelming love for Bella to stop him from turning his back on her.

He'd been mere moments, just seconds away, from jumping down from his lofty perch and scooping her into his arms, begging for her forgiveness before changing her then and there, consequences be damned.

But it had been at that precise moment that he'd sensed the wolves, and his fate, her fate, had been sealed forever.

The pack was searching for her, and they were close.

He'd held on until he saw the glow of their eyes from a distance in the darkened forest; and then he'd bolted like the coward he truly was.

He'd run and run.

By the time she was back in the safety of Charlie's arms, Edward was well into Canada and striding out for land far beyond.

He'd spent months outrunning his disheartened and concerned family, changing his plans time and time again, desperately trying to stay one stop ahead of them and one step away from the memories of his Bella, broken on the forest floor.

It had been six months before he'd finally allowed them to get close enough to him that he could share their thoughts.

He'd not allowed them to see him.

He'd communicated purely through Alice and had deliberately blocked any attempts to push her recollections of Bella toward him.

He hadn't wanted to see, hadn't wanted to know, hadn't wanted to feel her pain on top of his own.

With his sanity constantly wavering on a precipice, such things had been too much to bear.

He'd reminded them that he'd only allowed them close enough to warn them to stay away; to stop the chase; to leave him be.

He remembered feeling disgusted at Carlisle's concerns that he would turn back to the dark life, the life he and his family had chosen to avoid. How could he have ever considered the blood of another when the blood that he craved more than any other was forbidden to him?

He'd told his family to back off. He loved them, but he would no longer live in communion with them. That life was no longer his to share. His life, what he was prepared to live, was to be that of a solitary figure, a single entity, destined to live this life alone without companionship until there was no further need for him to be in this realm. And only one thing would bring about the end of his earthly existence. The natural death of his only love.

In the many years that had passed since he'd said goodbye to his physical presence in Bella's life, he had asked only one thing of Alice. That she'd let him know if she wasn't safe or well.

And that is what had brought him to be, once again, stalking her outside her room, gazing at her longingly through her window.

Alice had hated it. She was often bitter and angry at her brother for what she considered the unwarranted change in all their circumstances. She'd fervently argued, on many, many occasions, against playing the role of a voyeuristic puppet that was required to spy on the life and times of her former best friend in order to purely ease his conscience. Many times, just to spite him, she'd refused to participate in what she strongly believed was Edward's perverted game.

Those occasions of intense discontent in the intervening years were the only times that Edward had truly considered meeting any member of his family face-to-face. He'd fight them all, if it came to that. For Edward, his desperation—his need to know of Bella's life, of her happiness—continued to be the only thing that kept the madness that threatened his mind at bay.

He'd known from the day he'd left her that he'd never be able to trust himself enough to keep tabs on Bella himself, knowing that he'd never be able to turn away from her a second time. However, despite the invasions of privacy that modern technology could provide, he'd needed to know more than just facts about where Bella had lived or where she'd worked or who she'd eventually married.

He'd craved to know her feelings, for those are why Edward had done what he'd done. He'd wanted her to feel life, live it, love it out in the sunshine, not in the shadows. He'd wanted everything life with him would never have afforded her. He'd needed to know if his sacrifice had given her those things and yearned to know that his love for her and his desires for her possible future had warranted the decision to let her go.

That knowledge was his vindication, his justification, his penance for breaking the woman he loved.

And yet, here he was watching that life slowly slip from her grasp. And he knew that if he had his time over again, despite his altruistic motives, his good intentions, and his gift to her of a life filled with sunshine and happiness, he would have never given it to her.

He wanted her.

He'd always wanted her.

Only wanted her.

And a future with her.

A future lived purely in the dark; a limitless future of nighttime and passion and wholeness.

And yet, she'd gone on and lived life without him as he'd known she would.

She'd lived an extraordinary life, while he'd merely survived.

Day-to-day, hour-to-hour, week-to-week, year-to-year.

All time came back to this moment.

What would he do now that the future was drawing to a close?

He had a decision to make. Again.

As he hesitated at the window, he wondered if he would be strong enough to make a good decision this time around or if his weakness of character would win out at the end.

Life, his and hers, would again, change forever.

What to do?

His choice?

Her choice?

What choice?

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><p>AN:<p>

"Welcome Back!" to all my returning readers. Some of you left me some wonderful messages here and on twitter, welcoming me back to the world of fanfic writing. It was wonderful to hear from familiar names. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

"Welcome!" to anyone new who drops by.

Thanks, as always, to Sandyk199, Lalina and my hardworking Grendel who gives this story the ole professional "one-two" and knocks some grammatical sense into it (and its writer) before you see it.

Thanks also to SydneyTwiMum who happened to be around one morning when I was biting my nails to stumps over my first vamp fic and read it for me to give me some instant feedback that calmed me down.

This is a short story. It has a total of seven chapters and a word count somewhere around the 5K mark (its just a tad shorter than TTTB! LOL). The chapters are in the hands of my beta, so I plan to post regularly and often until this is done and dusted.

This story is marked drama/tradegy.

Don't say I didn't warn ya!

I have been asked if I have read any other vamp fics written with a similar theme. The answer is, "No, I haven't!"...so any similarities (if any) to existing fics is purely coincidental and unintentional.

until next time, drop me a line and let me know what you think!

Leisa.


	2. Chapter Two

SM owns all twilight characters.

No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this fic.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER TWO<strong>

Could he let her die?

Could he be that strong?

He doubted it.

He'd want her to live, exist, or whatever it was that his kind did after they were changed.

He knew could face a future, an eternity, looking into her brown eyes and feeling whole again, knowing that his love and devotion for her would shine from his own without question.

But could he stand to see the look in her eyes?

What would that look be?

Hurt?

Betrayal?

Pain?

Bitterness?

Love?

Could she love him, now, after everything he'd done?

Or more correctly, had failed to do?

Would she look at him with the same devotion that he'd always felt toward her?

Would she ever be prepared to forgive him for failing to give them their eternity when she'd first begged him to?

Or would she forever hate him for failing to turn her when she'd wanted, when she'd been younger, firmer skinned and less fragile?

Would she, could she live forever trapped within the body of a ninety-year-old woman, even if it was no longer destructible and susceptible to the ravages of time?

And since she'd been worried about their apparent physical differences when she'd been a mere twelve months older than he, how would she feel, now, about a seventy-three-year difference in their appearances?

Would she be so angry that she'd never even allow him to touch her?

He knew that their physical differences meant nothing to him, for it was not, nor had it ever been, solely the physical that had attracted him to her.

But what about her?

How would she feel about herself and her supposed imperfections against his obvious striking, youthful beauty?

She'd always worried about that.

She'd never seen herself as he had always seen her.

She'd never believed that, to him, she was the epitome of perfection.

She'd loathe him.

He was convinced of it.

And the thought terrified him.

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><p>AN:<p>

My apologies to those I confused yesterday by taking down my original "Author's Note" that was previously known as "chapter 1" in FF terms. I didn't know that by doing so, it would prevent people who had previously left me messages for it, unable to respond to the "new" Chapter 1 that took it's place.

Really, I shouldn't be let loose on this site - I really don't understand its finer points!

Hopefully, things will be better now...

The next several chapters are only drabbles (as I believe is the correct term).

They are all EPOV as he tries to work out his options and his emotions.

Until next time

Leisa


	3. Chapter Three

SM owns the twi characters.

No infringement of Copyright is intended.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER THREE<strong>

His strike would be fast, painless really.

Well, not quite, but it would be swift.

The drawing of her blood, however, would be slower, much slower, especially if, in order to kill rather than change her, he'd need to drain her entirely.

Had his own heart been beating, it would have quickened at the thought. But as it was, he drew a deep, shuddering, yet quite unnecessary breath in an attempt to control his thoughts.

To avoid her suffering, at all, meant ending her life. Completely.

But he didn't want to end her life.

He'd never wanted to end her life.

In fact, he'd done what he'd considered necessary all those years before to prolong her human life.

Irony.

Ruling his life.

He was a vampire.

He killed in order to exist.

That was his sentence.

It was also his burden.

For he had never wanted to be a monster.

He'd have never chosen this life for himself.

And he'd chosen not to give it to another, even though it had cost him his one chance at true and eternal happiness.

Yet here he was, toying with the idea of fulfilling his destiny, of becoming the type of monster the world expected to see in the living dead.

It made him sick.

It made him uneasy.

It made him mourn.

He'd never, ever, intended to survive her death.

His death, or rather his failure to exist, would happen as quickly as possible after her demise. He'd always planned it that way.

He'd never planned on, once again, being in the position he found himself, debating the possibility of being the one responsible for the finality of hers.

Sometimes, life just sucked.

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><p>AN:<p>

hahah...sucked!

Get it? Vampire's suck?

hahaha...?

At least, I'm funny - in my own mind - and usually me, myself and I are quite happy there.

O.o

Alright, alright, I know you don't find this story funny.

But that's okay because it was never intended to be.

Edward's struggling emotionally, AGAIN.

He's a masochist...remember?

Edward's trying to work out what he's going to do. He has several options...

until next time!

Leisa


	4. Chapter Four

SM owns the twi characters.

No infringement of Copyright is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER FOUR<strong>

He could leave.

Again.

He could turn and walk away.

Really.

He could.

He should.

He wouldn't.

Not this time.

Not now.

Not when he was so close to her.

Just the thought of turning his back on her again, without at least some form of connection, seemed as improbable as the sun failing to rise the next morning.

Would he let her know he'd been here?

Would she even be able to sense his presence?

He strained his mind, stretched his powers for any kind of sign that she knew he was here, any errant thought that would reveal her mind to him.

Nothing.

Still.

There never had been.

She was as silent to him as the proverbial church mouse.

He'd never been able to hear her thoughts.

And she remained an enigma.

The one mind in the world he'd never opened.

He so wished it was different.

He needed her guidance now more than ever before.

She'd always spoken her mind with him.

She'd always challenged him in ways no other living mortal or immortal had.

And his usual behaviors hadn't worked on her.

He'd never been able to guess what she'd been thinking. Never been able to turn her away. Never been able to stay one step ahead of her. Never been able to completely understand her.

That had been part of the attraction for him.

She was unlike anyone, human or vampire, he'd ever met.

And she'd changed his world.

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><p>AN:<p>

Grabadietcoke...you know I love you...right? And you know why. :)

thoughts, anyone?

until next time

Leisa


	5. Chapter Five

SM owns the twi characters.

No infringement of Copyright is intended.

And you get this one a day earlier than anticipated because I have a soft spot in my heart for xoEMC. And she said, "Please."

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><p><strong>CHAPTER FIVE<strong>

He'd kept it with him. Always.

A picture.

One taken under the flower-filled arch on the night of their Senior Prom.

It had been his first.

Hers, too.

For despite his long existence to that point, he'd never bothered with something so trivial, something so inconsequential as that human rite of passage.

It had been cooler than expected, that night. She'd worn a cardigan over her borrowed dress.

Her leg had been in a cast—broken by James' attack—the first of many timely reminders of the danger she was in simply by choosing to be by his side.

That was yet another time he'd ignored the warning signs.

He should have kept running the first day he'd met her.

But no, he'd come back.

And he'd come back again after Phoenix.

And he'd come back one more time after her ill-fated eighteenth birthday, but only briefly.

For it was then, he'd left.

For good.

For better, for worse.

He'd left.

He'd promised her it would be like he'd never existed.

And he'd kept his promise to her.

He'd retreated from her life, for good. As far as she was concerned.

To him, he'd never left.

She was with him each moment of each day.

She'd haunted him alive, and if he'd ever slept, he was sure that she'd have haunted him in his dreams, too.

He looked at the worn photograph, creased and torn, and for the millionth time caressed the image of her face with his thumb.

He could enter her room.

He could leave it under her pillow.

He could leave a precious part of their history with her, a sign that he'd never forgotten her, never been without her in his metaphorical, but silent, heart.

It would take but a moment.

Five seconds of time.

Ten, if he stopped to dust his fingers lightly over her face in farewell.

Fifteen, if he bent to press his lips to hers one last time.

One minute, if he rested his head upon her beating heart.

He stood frozen to the spot, unable to move.

Could he be that strong?

Could he say, "Goodbye," again?

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><p>AN:<p>

so...what do you think?

Could he?

until next time

Leisa


	6. Chapter Six

SM owns the twi characters.

No infringement of Copyright is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER SIX<strong>

Déjà vu.

That's what this was.

As Edward sneaked in through the window of her room, a smile played at the edges of his lips.

Of course, the smile was brief.

Her scent assaulted him, just like it always had.

Venom pooled in his mouth.

It wasn't possible that he had forgotten the call of her blood was it?

Then again, he supposed years of self-denial of her presence had tempered his immunity.

He stopped breathing and slowly regained his composure.

He lost track of the time as he stood, unmoving, at the end of her bed.

It could have been hours but was probably nothing more than minutes.

Time moved differently in his world.

The beeping of the machines that monitored her life sounded steadily.

There was no other noise.

He gazed upon her sleeping form and knew instantly, with complete clarity, what he hadn't known outside.

He would never take her life.

He hadn't done it seventy-two years before, and he couldn't do it now.

He refused to take her essence.

His fragmented soul, or what remained of it, he'd always believed was headed for the realm of the damned.

He wouldn't dictate that ending for her.

In her final moments, she would make her last journey into the light.

He may never join her there, but he was determined that his plans for her would be fulfilled. A life filled with eternal light, not darkness.

Finally, he moved closer until he stood at the head of her bed.

The closest he'd been to her in many, many decades.

He reached out.

He dusted his fingertips over her delicate brow.

He bent slowly, savoring each movement, until he pressed his lips upon hers ever so gently.

And just as delicately, he turned his head, and rested his ear against her beating heart.

Boom, boom.

Boom, boom.

Boom, boom.

That sound was his sign that what he was about to do was right.

His final act of love for her in her lifetime would be to let her fade into a natural death.

He would mourn her loss for however short a time he existed after that, and it would be his final act of redemption.

He felt, almost, at peace.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

Almost...almost...

Only one chapter left.

Until next time

Leisa


	7. Chapter Seven

SM owns the twi characters.

No infringement of Copyright is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 7 <strong>

_Edward?_

He froze.

One word.

Again.

_Edward?_

He closed his eyes, finally believing he had lost what little grasp he had left of his sanity.

_Edward!_

He knew that voice. He'd remembered it for years.

_I'm here!_

Being still had been a skill Edward had perfected almost two hundred years before. It was the skill of a hunter, a predator. He did it well.

Not this time.

He moved like lightening.

He was across the room in a flash, his back against the door, his eyes wide in disbelief.

_It really is you . . . I'm not dreaming?_

He furrowed his brow.

_You look like you've seen a ghost._

Shock.

Disbelief.

"I can hear you."

Bella closed her eyes with relief and joy._ Thank god._

"How?"

Her eyes once again found his._ I have no idea._

"I'm really hearing your thoughts?"

_So it seems._

"This is really happening?"

_You tell me._

Edward sucked in unnecessary air. This possibility had never occured to him.

Caught off guard, his usual stoic, calm demeanor dissipated.

Thousands of times he'd wondered what he'd say to Bella, if they ever met again.

Now, he struggled to find the words.

"How are you doing, Bella?"

Eyes. Old eyes, filled with knowledge and wisdom, looked back at him.

_I'm dying, Edward._

The grief on Edward's face was instantaneous.

If he could shed tears, they'd be flowing freely.

Bella's eyes looked back at him.

_You have no idea how good it is to see you. I'd begun to think I might never see you again._

Edward's face crumpled in pain and disbelief.

_Don__'__t __look __so __sad. __I__'__ve __lived __a __long __life. __Not __as __long __as __yours, __but __still_…

"I was wrong, Bella. So wrong. I couldn't stay then, and I couldn't stay away now."

_I'm glad you didn't._

Edward grimaced. "What? Stay or stay away?"

_Both._

"Bella…"

_I loved you my whole life, Edward. I've hated you, too, but I've never stopped loving you._

Edward closed his eyes.

_For __a __time, __I __thought __you__'__d __destroyed __me. __But __you __didn__'__t. __Turns __out __I __was __stronger __than __that._

After a time, she continued. _How __much __do __you __know?_

After opening his eyes, Edward shrugged, embarrassed to admit the extent of his knowledge of her life.

_I suspected as much._

"You did?"

_No. Not really. Until just now._

"You have a devoted family."

_You've seen them?_

Edward nodded. "I've watched them come and go."

_For how long?_

"A while."

_I've been very lucky…and very loved._

"I'm glad."

_What about you?_

"Huh?" he answered, deliberately avoiding her.

_Don__'__t __you __play __that __game __with __me. __I __know __you __can __hear __me_.

"How is that working?"

_I __have __no __idea._ There was a hint of laughter in the sound of her thoughts, but then, _You __haven__'__t __answered __me, __you __know._

Again, Edward just shrugged.

_Let me guess. You don't see your family, do you?_

Resigned that she wasn't going to let the moment pass, Edward pulled his lips tight and shook his head.

_Idiot._

"Excuse me?"

_You heard me._

"It's complicated."

_When isn't it with you?_

Silence settled between them.

Edward remained with his back against the door.

_It's time, Edward._

He looked at her blankly.

_It's time you forgive yourself._

Edward shook his head vehemently.

_It's time._

"How?" he croaked. "How can you expect me to forgive myself for what I did to you? To us?"

_It's time._

"Time for what?"

_Time to move on . . . for both of us._

Shock showed on Edward's face.

More silence followed.

_Why did you come?_

"I couldn't stay away."

_I wanted you to come._

He raised his eyebrows.

_I did. I needed to see you. I needed to say, goodbye._

"Bella, don't!" It was nothing more than a whisper.

_It__'__s __the __truth. __I__'__m __moving __on. __So __should __you. __And __it__'__s __OK. _

"I can't . . . I don't . . . "

_Yes, you do. You know how._

"I don't."

_Yes, you do. It's time, Edward. It's time to go back to your family._

"I never wanted to be there, with them, without you."

_I know._

"I don't think I can, now."

_Yes, you can. I love you, Edward. I understand why you did what you did. I didn't like it, but I came to understand it, and I'm grateful for it._

Edward didn't want to hear it.

_It's true. I'm whole. Especially now._

"Now?"

_You came back to me._

"I love you."

Simple words.

Powerful words.

Truth.

_I __know __you __do_.

Their eyes spoke volumes to each other. No words were needed.

"Are you in pain?"

_Sometimes._

He closed his eyes again, his own emotional pain all too evident in his furrowed brow. "I've never wanted that for you."

_It's nothing I can't handle._

Edward swallowed instinctively. Memories of her saying that she could take any pain as long as it meant they would be together, forever, filled his thoughts. She'd been calm, even then, accepting of an inevitability that had never played out, until now.

"Can I do something for you?"

Bella's eyes smiled. _Go __home __to __your __family._

He opened his eyes.

"Stubborn, aren't you?"

_Always._

A small smile came unbridled to his lips.

_I've missed that smile._

Edward pushed off from the door and crossed to Bella's bed. He took her hand from atop the covers and enclosed it in his own.

"I love you."

_And I'll love you, forever. Now kiss me and go back to your family. _

Edward stared at her.

_Promise me._

"Why is it so important for you?"

Bella took a shuddering breath.

_Because for most of my life I wondered what became of you. I didn't know. I'd hoped, but I didn't know. I need to know . . . just like it seems you did with me. I need to know you're loved and with family. I'll pass happy knowing that to be true._

Edward kissed her lips. It wasn't like their kisses of old. It was different, but it was no less intense and no less passionate.

"I promise," he croaked.

He kissed her again.

And her lips returned his kiss. The rest of her body may have been immobilised and uncooperative, and her kiss may not have contained the heated movements of her youth, but it was strong and determined and full of meaning.

Their kiss parted.

Their lips ghosted with smiles.

And then Bella looked out the window.

_It__'__s __time_, she repeated, yet again.

And Edward followed her gaze.

There, outside the window of her room, was their unworldly family.

_They're waiting for you._

Edward smiled softly at his family.

"So it seems."

_I waited for you._

Edward looked back to her and nodded his head, agreeing in silence when words failed him.

He hugged her hand to his chest over the place where his heart once beat.

_Love lasts longer than time._

"Forever."

_And ever._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:<em>**

**_Now before you all start yelling at me...I warned ya... right at the beginning...remember?_**

**_Thanks to Grendel, Lalina and Sandyk199. They are a constant source of support and inspiration to me - when I'm writing, and when I'm not._**

**_Thanks to the gals on twitter who tweet about my updates, and to those of you who promote me and my stories._**

**_Thanks to all of you for reading. I have tended, with most of my writing thus far, to write stories that deeply affect my emotions, and the emotions of my readers. Understanding that, I appreciate the trust that you place in me to bring these journeys to satisfactory (if not highly non-traditional for FF) endings._**

**_Special thanks to those of you who take the time to review. I have honestly tried to reply to all of you, at least once. If, on the off chance I have missed you, THAT is something you can berate me over because, truly, I do value each and everyone one of you and it would be terribly remiss of me not to acknowledge you. _**

**_That's all, folks!_**

**_Until next time the writing bug bites..._**

**_Leisa_**


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